Disintegrator

ABSTRACT

A disintegrator comprising a housing accommodating rotors with bladed wheels (5), and electric motors (3), a housing of each electric motor (3) having two flanges (7 and 8) of which one flange (7) is rigidly connected to the front portion of the housing of the electric motor (3) and to movable or stationary station (2 or 1) of the housing of the disintegrator, whereas the second flange (8) is secured on a support (9). One of the electric motors with the movable section (2) of the housing is capable of movement under the action exerted thereon by a screw mechanism.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to equipment for grinding, mixing, and activatinga range of materials, and more particularly to disintegrators.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is known a disintegrator comprising a housing accommodating rotorssecured on a shaft journalled in bearing supports, the other end of theshaft carrying a pulley connected by a belt transmission to an electricmotor. All these elements are arranged on a hollow shaft through which amaterial to be treated is admitted to the rotor chamber (cf., USSRInventor's Certificate No. 448,031, Int. Cl. B 02 C 13/22, published1971).

Servicing of the rotors in this disintegrator is difficult, because therotors cannot be moved relative to each other for easy replacement.Replacement of the rotors requires that the entire machine be takenapart, which entails high labor and time expenditures.

Also, for increasing the capacity of the disintegrator, it is necessaryto provide rotors of larger size and consequently use a bulkier hollowshaft for ensuring structural reliability and, accordingly, larger sizebearing assemblies.

There are further known disintegrators comprising a housing whichaccommodates rotors rotating in the opposite directions, these rotorsbeing mounted on shafts journalled in bearing supports. The other endsof the shafts carry pulleys connected by a belt transmission to electricmotors. The housing of the disintegrator includes two sections of whichone is stationary, whereas the other can move axially by means of a rackmechanism. The disintegrator is provided with lock means for joiningtogether the housing sections (cf., U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,911, published1983).

Although this disintegrator has a provision for drawing the housingapart to replace and serve the rotors, in order to carry out thisoperation, it is necessary to release the lock means and remove the belttransmission, which is labor and time consuming. Connection of theshafts carrying the rotors with the electric motors by means of bearingsupports and belt driven pulleys makes the disintegrator structurallyovercomplicated and bulky.

In addition, the lock means are not designed to align the two sectionsof the housing when closing, which may result in displacement of thedisintegrator parts and can be the cause of less reliable operation.

One more prior art disintegrator (a prototype) comprises a detachablehousing accommodating rotors with bladed wheels, electric motors theshafts of which carry the rotors, and a bed on which the major units ofthe disintegrator are mounted (cf., USSR Inventor's Certificate No.317,420, Int. Cl. B 02 C 23/00, published 1968).

However, servicing of this disintegrator is not sufficiently convenient,because splitting the housing apart by moving at least one of itssections together with the electric motor requires disassembly of thebracing elements by which they are attached to the bed.

In addition, the provision of the bed makes the disintegrator heavierand bulkier.

Another disadvantage is that this prior art disintegrator constructionfails to provide forced cooling of the electric motors by a medium usedin the production process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed toward the provision of adisintegrator in which a rigid connection of electric motors to housingsections would ensure a more reliable operation, easier servicing, andreduced overall dimensions of the disintegrator.

The aims of the invention are attained by that in a disintegratorcomprising a detachable housing accommodating rotors with bladed wheelsrotating in the opposite directions, and electric motors the shafts ofwhich carry the rotors, according to the invention, the housing of eachelectric motor is provided with two flanges, one of which is rigidlyconnected to the front section of the housing of the disintegrator,whereas the second flange is secured on a support, at least one of theelectric motors with the adjacent part of the housing being capable ofmovement along guides by means of a screw mechanism, the sections of thehousing of the disintegrator having mutually centering elements.

Such an arrangement ensures smaller overall size of the disintegrator,since rigid connection of the electric motors to the housing of thedisintegrator makes it possible to dispense with a bed, and affordseasier servicing, because the housing of the disintegrator can be openedand closed by the screw mechanism without resorting to the removal ofdisintegrator parts by merely jointly moving the movable part of thehousing with the electric motor attached thereto. The structuralreliability is further assured by the provision of mutually centeringelements at the two housing sections being drawn together, whichprevents these parts from displacement during closing the disintegratorand which takes up radial loads in the course of operation of thedisintegrator.

According to one feature of the invention, the screw mechanism can befashioned as a threadingly engageable pair a fixed element of which isconnected to a shock absorbing base on which the housings of thedisintegrator and electric motors are mounted, whereas the movableelement is connected to the electric motor adjacent the movable part ofthe housing of the disintegrator. The use of the screw mechanism in theform of a threadingly engageable pair ensures reliable closing andopening of the disintegrator by such a small-size arrangement.

Preferably, the screw mechanism includes several threadingly engageablepairs having fixed elements thereof connected to the stationary sectionof the housing of the disintegrator, whereas the movable elements areconnected to the electric motor adjoining the movable section of thehousing, the ends of the movable elements carrying sprockets embraceableby a common chain, one of the sprockets being a drive sprocket.

Such an arrangement of the screw mechanism allows, apart from reliablyclosing and opening the housing of the disintegrator, to move large-sizeheavy electric motors of high capacity disintegrators, as well as totake up axial loads by the elements of the threadingly engageable pairsand ensure rigid connection of the sections of the housing of thedisintegrator without using additional lock means.

According to one more feature of the present invention, thedisintegrator has casings connected to at least one of the flanges ofthe electric motor and rigidly connected to the movable and stationarysections of the housing of the disintegrator, the inside of the casingsaccommodating the electric motors capable of movement on roller supportsalong guides, whereas the movable elements of the threadinglyengageables pairs are connected to the casing, which is rigidly affixedto the movable section of the housing, the casings and the housing ofthe disintegrator being mounted on the shock absorbing base.

The provision of the casings in the proposed disintegrator constructionmakes it possible to add to structural rigidity of the machine, which isespecially important when using large-size heavy electric motors forhigh capacity disintegrators, thanks to the attachment of at least oneof the flanges of the electric motors to the casing rigidly affixed tothe housing of the disintegrator. To facilitate servicing of theelectric motors during that mounting and dismantling, the casing hasroller supports for the electric motor to move thereon. The electricmotors can be removed, for example, by using thrust or brace member setbetween the shafts of the electric motors, while the screw pairs areactuated to close the rotor chamber. The arrangement of the movable andfixed elements of the screw pairs at the outside of the casing provideseasy access for servicing.

A shock absorbing means is provided for suppressing vibrations duringoperation of the disintegrator.

To ensure cooling of the electric motors, the casings have covers withinlet tubes, whereas the flanges of the electric motors have holes toconvey gas or air admitted through the tubes. This enables, for example,to cool the electric motors by gas in explosion hazardous situations.

According to one more feature of the present invention, the housing ofthe disintegrator accommodates discs, which form with the sides of thehousing opposite to the sides to which the flanges of the electricmotors are attached chambers communicating at one side with theatmosphere through holes provided in the housing and having adjustmentvalves, and at the other side with rotor chambers through clearancesbetween the discs and a shaft hub. This arrangement makes it possible bysucking air or gas outside through the chamber, clearance between thediscs, shaft hub and rotor chamber to the discharge tube by an outsidefan means to prevent penetration of dust-laden air from the rotorchamber to the bearing assembly, as well as to cool the rotors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference tovarious preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the proposed disintegrator with partiallycut-away sections;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the disintegrator illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of another modified form of the proposeddisintegrator with partial sections; and

FIG. 4 is a side view of the disintegrator shown in FIG. 3.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A disintegrator comprises a housing which includes stationary section 1(FIG. 1), a movable section 2, and electric motors 3. Secured inside thehousing are rotors having the form of discs 4 with bladed wheels 5attached thereto. The discs 4 are attached to hubs 6 fitted onto shaftsof the electric motors 3.

For supporting the electric motors 3 the housing of each electric motoris provided with two flanges 7 and 8, one of which, flange 7, beingrigidly connected to the front portion of the housing of the electricmotor 3 and with the movable and stationary parts 2 and 1, respectively,of the housing of the disintegrator.

The second flange 8 bears on a support 9 mounted on a shock absorbingbase 10.

At least one of the electric motors, viz. motor 3, and an adjacentthereto section 2 of the housing of the disintegrator are capable ofmovement along guides 11 and roller supports 12 (FIG. 2) under theaction of a screw mechanism 13 (FIG. 1). This mechanism consists of athreadingly engageable pair, a fixed element 14 of which is linked tothe shock absorbing base 10 on which the housings of the disintegratorand electric motors 3 are mounted.

A movable element 15 of this pair is connected to the electric motor 3,which moves together with the section 2 of the housing of thedisintegrator adjacent thereto.

The movable element 15 is rotatable by a drive 16.

For alignment of the disintegrator when closing, and for taking up theradial forces in the course of operation, the sections 1 and 2 of thehousing are provided with mutually centering elements in the form ofgrooves 17 and projections 18 capable of intimate engagement.

In order to ensure rigid fixation of the stationary and movable sections1 and 2 of the disintegrator, there are provided retainer means in theform of locks 19.

The disintegrator comprises a feeding funnel 20 to be filled with amaterial to be treated, and a discharge pipe 21 (FIG. 2).

With reference to FIG. 3, there is shown a modified form of the proposeddisintegrator in which the screw mechanism includes several threadinglyengageable pairs 22 with fixed elements 23 thereof being attached to thestationary section 1 of the housing of the disintegrator, whereasmovable elements 24 are connected to the electric motor 3, which iscapable of movement with the adjacent section 2 of the housing alongguides 25 (FIG. 4) and roller supports 26.

Sprockets 27 are arranged at the ends of the movable elements embracedby a common chain 28. The chain 28 is driven by a sprocket 29 secured onthe shaft of a motor 30.

The disintegrator has casings 31 and 32 (FIG. 3) of which the casing 31is rigidly connected to the movable section 2 of the housing of thedisintegrator, and the casing 32 is connected to the stationary section1 of this housing, the two casings 31 and 32 being connected to theflanges 8.

The electric motors 3 are accommodated inside the casings 31 and 32 tobe capable of travel on roller supports 33 along guides 34.

The movable elements 24 of the threadingly engageable pairs 22 arelinked with the casing 32.

The casings 31 and 32 and the housing of the disintegrator are mountedon a shock absorbing base having the form of a beam 35 (FIG. 4) bearingon a resilient member 36, such as one fabricated from rubber.

The casings 31 and 32 (FIG. 3) are provided with covers 37 having inlettubes 38, whereas the flanges 7 and 8 are provided with holes 39 toensure the passage of gas or air admitted through the tubes 38 to coolthe electric motors 3.

The flanges 7 and 8 and sections 1 and 2 of the housing have throughholes 40, which receive studs 41 to ensure an integral rigidconstruction of the disintegrator.

Disc elements 42 are further provided inside the housing of thedisintegrator to form chambers 43 with the walls of the housing oppositeto the sides to which the flanges 7 of the electric motors 3 areattached; these chambers 43 communicating at one side with theatmosphere through holes 44 provided in the housing and havingadjustable valves 45. At the other side the chambers 43 communicate witha rotor chamber 46 through clearances 47 between the discs 42 and hub 6.

The disintegrator represented in FIG. 3 operates in the followingmanner.

The material to be treated is fed through the funnel 20 to be thrown bythe hub 6 onto the bladed wheels 5 of the rotors. Under the action ofcentrifugal forces the material is caused to move through the rows ofbladed wheels and escape through the discharge tube 21.

In the course of operation air or gas is sucked in through the valves45, chambers 43, and clearance 47 to the rotor chamber 46 for coolingthe working parts of the disintegrator and preventing the penetration ofdust from the rotor chamber 46 to the bearings of the electric motor 3.Air or gas is conveyed through the inlet tubes 38 and holes 39 of theflanges 7 and 8 to cool the electric motors 3, and ensure explosionsafety, when operating in an explosion hazardous environment. Vibrationsare damped during operation of the disintegrator by the shock absorbingmeans including the beams 35, and the shock absorbing member 36fabricated, for example, from rubber. When opening and closing themovable section 2 of the housing of the disintegrator with the electricmotor 3 by the threadingly engageable pairs 22, they are moved along theguides 34 on rollers 33. When dismantling the electric motors 3, a braceelement is interposed between the shafts of the electric motors 3 forthe threadingly engageable pairs 22 functioning for closing the housingof the disintegrator to force the electric motors 3 outside on rollers33 and guides 34.

During operation of the disintegrator the threadingly engageable pairs22 ensure rigid connection of the sections 1 and 2 of the housing, andtherefore are subject to the action of axial loads, whereas thecentering elements 17 and 18 take up radial loads.

Extra structural rigidity of the disintegrator is ensured by drawingtogether the flanges 7 and 8 and sections 1 and 2 of the housing by thestuds 41, as well as by connecting the flanges 8 of the electric motors3 to the casings 31 and 32 in turn rigidly affixed to the sections 1 and2 of the housing of the disintegrator.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The invention can be used with success in the industry catering forcivil engineering, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, chemicalindustry, and elsewhere.

We claim:
 1. A disintegrator comprising:a housing having a moveablesection and a stationary section; a first electric motor connected withsaid moveable section and having a first rotatable shaft; a secondelectric motor connected with said stationary section and having asecond rotatable shaft; a first set of rotors mounted on said firstrotatable shaft for rotation in a first direction and having a first setof bladed wheels; a second set of rotors mounted on said secondrotatable shaft for rotation in a second direction opposite to saidfirst direction having a second set of bladed wheels; support means forsupporting the first and second electric motors; first fixed couplingflanges fixed to said moveable section and said stationary section atfirst ends of said electric motors, respectively; second fixed couplingflanges resting on said support means and located at second, oppositeends of said electric motors, respectively; displacement means fordisplacing said moveable section and said first electric motor withrespect to said stationary section and for absorbing axial forcesgenerated between the moveable and stationary sections, saiddisplacement means including means for causing said moveable section andsaid first electric motor to move with respect to said support means andincluding guides, a plurality of screw mechanisms spaced along thecircumference of the housing for moving the moveable section and firstelectric motor with respect to the stationary section with the aid ofthe guides, and drive means for simultaneously driving said screwmechanisms uniformly to cause said moveable section and said firstelectric motor to move with respect to said stationary section; andfirst and second centering element means mounted on the moveable sectionand stationary section, respectively, for aligning the moveable sectionand stationary section when said moveable section and stationary sectionare locked together and for absorbing radial forces between the moveableand stationary sections, said first and second centering element meansbeing engaged with each other when said moveable section and stationarysection are locked together.
 2. A disintegrator according to claim 1;further including a shock absorbing base on which said movable sectionand said stationary section of said housing and said electric motors aremounted; and wherein each screw mechanism includes a fixed elementconnected to said shock absorbing base and a movable elementscrew-threadedly connected with said fixed element adjacent the movablesection of the housing.
 3. A disintegrator according to claim 2; whereineach fixed element is connected to the stationary section of the housingand each movable element is connected with the first electric motoradjacent the movable section of the housing, each screw mechanismfurther including a sprocket secured at an end of each respectivemovable element; and said drive means includes a common chain extendingaround the sprockets and one of the sprockets constituting a drivesprocket.
 4. A disintegrator according to claim 3; further including afirst casing connected to at least one of the flanges and rigidlyattached to the movable section of the housing and accommodating thefirst electric motor therein; a second casing connected to at least oneof the flanges associated with the second electric motor and rigidlyattached to the stationary section of the housing for accommodating thesecond electric motor therein; the first and second casings and thehousing being mounted on a shock absorbing frame; said screw mechanismsbeing connected to said first casing; and further including guides forguiding said electric motors in said respective casings and rollersupports for slidably moving said electric motors along said guides insaid respective casings.
 5. A disintegrator according to claim 4;wherein each of said casings includes a cover having an inlet tube andsaid first and second flanges have holes therein to conduct a gasadmitted through the inlet tubes for cooling the electric motors.
 6. Adisintegrator according to claim 1; wherein said first and secondflanges, said movable section and said stationary section are providedwith through holes which receive studs to form a rigid and structurallyintegrated disintegrator.
 7. A disintegrator according to claim 1;wherein said housing has disks therein which form, with sides of saidhousing, chambers communicating at one side thereof with ambiantatmosphere through holes 44 provided in said housing, and at an oppositeside of said chambers through clearances between the disks and a centralhub with a chamber in which the rotors are located, and furtherincluding adjustable valves provided in said holes in the housingthrough which the chambers communicate with ambiant atmosphere.